USO Canteen FReeper Style FReeper FRiday....VetVetDoug's Cousin....October 18,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
Delivering a Touch of Home

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A Touch of Home

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This is how I think of the USO Canteen 
Freeper Style. It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night. 

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too. 
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of 
place that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, 
a library, etc. 

Many Veterans have written to me, 
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they 
served. 

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy 
and sometimes troubling world. 
Make yourself at home.

Snow Bunny

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family, 
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their  
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank 
them. 

Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper 
Style, are thankful for every service member 
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

John McCrae 

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The USO Canteen Honors FReepers
who have served, or are now serving their country.

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You may have a loved one who has served in the past.
We at the FReeper USO Canteen would like to honor each and every one.

March 10,1945....50 B-29’s crashed
burning four square miles in the heart of Tokyo

At the same time hearts were torn apart
in homes throughout America.Where
loved ones of the 11 men on each of
those 50 planes waited and prayed in
vain for the “ safety of the boys’.

It has been over 50 years ago since
the low-flying raid took place.

Among those who died in the raid was.......
2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean
873rd AAF Bomber Squadron.....co-pilot

Along with others of his squadron,
he was stationed on Saipan in the
South Pacific during the final weeks
awaiting the orders to strike.

He was smiling and sun-backed in the
photographs he had sent home to the
family.

He wore his cap at the jaunty angle
and his rakish mustache was
representative of the same bravado
in attitude affected by hundreds
of other young American men
of the Clark Gable era.

Dean like many others was anxious
to get into the heat of the battle. He
graduated from Corinth High School
in 1937 when the turmoil which
turned to WW11 was beginning to build.

After two years at Union University
in Jackson, Tenn. He made the decision
to join the U.S.Army Air Force. He
went in as a mechanic.

“I remember he was so excited, yet
so worried he would not be accepted.
It was his weight, he was so small. He
was afraid his weight would keep him
from passing the physical”, recalled
his sister, Fadra Dean Dodd.

“He was so funny in his desperation.
He ate several pounds of bananas just
before going for his physical,” she
smiled in remembering this fun
loving brother.

Whatever the reason- perhaps it was the
trick with the bananas,Dean passed the
physical, and was accepted then sent to
Canute Field, Illinoins.

Shortly after WW11 broke out, Dean
began flight training, stationed at
Selma, Ala.

He received his wings in Moultrie, Ga.

“ In the fall of 1943, he was in B-29 training
at Salina, Kan. I went up there to spend a
week with him. I remember how guarded
they kept the B-29’s on the base. They
wouldn’t let me, or any other authorized
personnel get within a half mile of one.”
His sister added.

In early 1944 Dean married in a beautiful
ceremony in the base chapel.

During the summer as he passed his
27th birthday in July, he spent his
additional training in Hobbs,N.M.

He spent Christmas stateside but it was
shortly afterwards he was sent to the
Island of Saipan and into the heat of
the battle.Other members of the same
group were scattered throughout
neighboring islands and air strips.

“ His squadron was involved in raids over
Nagasaki and other key cities.Then on the
night of March 10th ,the B-29’s from the
Islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian,
rendezvoused for the raid over Tokyo.”
Mrs. Dodd recalled.

This was the first time the B-29’s had
gone in as low as 4,000 feet.

“It has been explained to me that being a
nighttime raid, it was necessary to go in
this low.”, she explained.

Dean’s plane was hit and crashed into the
side of the mountain. The air-ship was not
found until after the war was over.

The men were identified by their dog tags
or dental records. Their bodies were taken
to a mausoleum in the Philippines.

In the fall of 1945, the family had the
young man’s body brought back to
Corinth for burial there.

Since the losses were so great
they never went in that low again.

On that night though.......
they burned four square miles in the heart of Tokyo

We salute the memory of 2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean

[tmprincesa]

I am thankful for men like your cousin who sacrificed his life so I can live in Freedom today.

[tmprincesa]

Best I could do so early in the morning!

If it will help improve the quality, may I suggest you sleep in until at least 6PM?

[tmprincesa]

Another good tribute today Snow Bunny. Thank you.

I'm off to work, I hope I can drop by for a while this evening.

[Mr_Magoo]

Air Power

CESSNA UC-78B "BOBCAT"

The UC-78 is a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. Cessna first produced the wood and tubular steel, fabric covered T-50 in 1939 for the civilian market. In 1940, the Air Corps ordered them under the designation AT-8 as multi-engine advanced trainers.

Thirty-three AT-8s were built for the Air Corps, and production continued under the designation AT-17 reflecting a change in equipment and engine types. In 1942, the AAF adopted the Bobcat as a light personnal transport and those delivered after January 1, 1943 were designated UC-78s. By the end of WW II, Cessna had produced more than 4,600 Bobcats for the AAF, 67 of which were transferred to the U.S. Navy as JRC-1s. In addition, 822 Bobcats had been produced for the Royal Canadian Air Force as Crane 1s.

Dubbed the "Bamboo Bomber" by the pilots who flew them, it was one of the aircraft featured in the popular television series "Sky King" of the 1940s and '50s.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 41 ft. 11 in.
Length: 32 ft. 9 in.
Height: 9 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 5,700 lbs. max.
Armament: None
Engines: Two Jacobs R-755-9s of 245 hp. each
Cost: $31,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 175 mph.
Cruising speed: 150 mph.
Range: 750 miles
Service Ceiling: 15,000 ft.

[JustAmy]

[SevenofNine]

Good morning Canteen members

Well some late news off AFP wire reporting that IDF raided nice Hamas HQ found bunch of weapons and busted people in the crib

Also report off Jersrelum Post site is reporting that Ariel Sharon is telling his cabinet guys put plan together what would happen if Saddam attack Israel in other words

SMACKDOWN TIME BY IDF in near future

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good Morning Troops, families, veterans, and Canadian and Israeli allies (and everybody else). Thank you for taking such good care of the USA.

Today in Anchorage, Alaska:

Sunrise 8:51am
Sunset 6:36pm

Hi 44F
Lo 36F
Cloudy, rain later

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 43F
Lo 37F

State Hi 61F Klawock
State Lo -6F Fort Yukon

[Kathy in Alaska]

Bless This House hummed along with this morning, twice because I love this song for our USO Canteen, and Prayer of Protection said for all who enter the USO Canteen Freeper Style, including our troops, our veterans, their families and our allies. Welcome to all who come to honor our troops, for whom this USO Canteen was created.

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you

The love of God enfold you

The power of God protect you

The presence of God watch over you

Wherever you are, God is,

And all is well.

Amen.

Wherever you are, God is, And all is well.

[Militiaman7]

Saluting: VetVetDoug's Cousin, 2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean

Rest in Peace, Your sacrifice will never be forgotten

[Tom Humble]

Hi Sam:

Re your post yesterday about Canada's flag and national emblem: May I append my two cents worth?

The Maple Leaf Flag has no history; no tradition, and no meaning.

Ditto for the Beaver. It was supposed to be a symbol of industry etc. It fails miserably.

I love Canada. But we are betraying everything that Canada might have meant. Everything that Canada once promised.

It is truly heartbreaking. I remember when the promise of Canada was much brighter.

I think we are going to have to sink lower before we smarten up and turn things around. That will come about only when we gird up our loins and seek God's Wisdom and Understanding and Strength to fight for the right.

Ol' Tom.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you Aeronaut, and thank you Otto, for your daily flyovers of protection for the USO Canteen.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks Meekie for my morning cup of hot chocolate today.

[deadhead]

Hi Kathy, that was a lovely post :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks Tom for this picture of the USS Corpus Christi submarine. They look cool cruising along on the surface.

[MoJo2001]

THE FALLEN SOLDIER
by Patricia Krull

Don't weep for me
O' land of the free,
When it was my time to fall
'Twas for my country's call
'Twas for the land that I loved
That I gave my all,
And for the land that I loved
I did freely give,
And in her freedom and her courage
I'll continue to live.

God Bless Your Family, VetvetDoug!!

[MoJo2001]

Good morning, Ma!! How are you today?? Hopefully, you will be on later this evening!! Woohoo!! It's Friday!!

[MoJo2001]

Wow!! Awesome picture!! Wooho!! THanks for sharing it sweetness!! Great to see you as usual!!

[MoJo2001]

Good afternoon, Diva!! How are you today?? Thank you for allowing VetvetDoug to share his wonderful story. His cousin truly served this Nation well. God Bless the wonderful troops that we have today carrying on his cousins legacy!!

[MoJo2001]

Anytime this soldier wants to find someone to protect...MOJO IS HERE FOR YOU!! GOD BLESS OUR CANADIAN ALLIES!!

[MoJo2001]

Good morning, Lady Victoria!! I love Friday's as well!! Woohoo!! I hope to see you this evening!!